


Lost My Balance on a High Wire

by Linzanity



Series: Sink or Swim [3]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Charles' First Shower, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fix-It, M/M, No Beach Divorce, Poor Charles, Post-Cuba, Protective Erik, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-04-28
Packaged: 2018-06-05 00:13:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6681706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linzanity/pseuds/Linzanity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hank helps Charles with his first shower after being discharged from the hospital Post-Cuba. Charles is not happy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lost My Balance on a High Wire

**Author's Note:**

> This is sort of a prequel to "Hearing the Song in Your Laughter" as this happens not long after Cuba.
> 
> Check me out at [my new tumblr!](http://linzanitee.tumblr.com/)

“I haven’t showered in four days.” 

“Hmm?” Erik looked up from the surgical report to see Charles scratching furiously at his own scalp. “What did you say?”

“I said that I haven’t been properly cleaned since before I was discharged from the hospital. I would like to do that this afternoon.”

“I’ll go get Hank.”

Charles hummed in pretend consideration. “I think we could handle this by ourselves.”

Erik hesitated. “I don’t think that would be appropriate right now. I’ll be back with Hank.”

Charles harrumphed and slowly wheeled into the bathroom as Erik retrieved the pseudo-doctor. Locking the wheels of his chair and unbuttoning his shirt, Charles contemplated shutting the door and trying to figure it out on his own. Not a second later, Hank came towering into the room, red-faced, with a clinical look in his eyes. He started the water while Erik methodically undressed Charles, easily lifted him, and set him into the tub.

“We will need to invest in a shower chair,” Hank noted as he rearranged Charles’ legs flat against the porcelain bottom.

Erik petted Charles’ arm absently, causing Hank to clear his throat, “Perhaps Erik should wait outside.”

The lovers looked at each other, exchanging a silent conversation, and Erik stepped out of the en suite.

“I didn’t want to embarrass you in front of Erik but when he stroked your arm, you-you, well. What I’m saying is… that you, you responded.”

“Pardon me?”

“Um…what I mean to say is…Charles, do you realize that you’re aroused?”

Charles looked down. He was indeed stirring below his waist. “Hmm. How about that?” Charles said dead-pan.

“That means your injury isn’t quite as extensive as I thought. You might not be completely paralyzed,” Hank explained enthusiastically. "I mean, this is close to a medical miracle! I would love to do some tests and see if your mutation is effecting your healing."

“So I’m only _mostly_ paralyzed. Great. I can’t even fucking tell when I’m erect. This is fantastic,” came Charles’ sarcastic reply. “Just get me clean.”

By the time Hank had hung the shower head back on its hook, Charles was wet, cold, and inexplicably, in tears.

Feeling the metal pipes empty and hearing a sob, Erik bolted into the bathroom, pulled Charles out of the tub, and sat with him in his lap – dripping wet, on the bathroom floor.

“I’m not helpless,” Charles halfheartedly protested.

“No one thinks you are,” Erik whispered.

"I can't shower on my own!"

"That's not a problem. You don't have to. We're here to help you."

"Sod off!" Charles pounded on Erik's chest before throwing his arms around Erik's neck and sobbing.

"Okay. There it is. You're okay, _Schatz_ ," Erik crooned.

Hank slipped out, only pausing to drape a towel over Charles’ shoulders. Erik leaned against the wall, holding his telepath in his awkwardly positioned lap. They sat there, rubbing each other's backs, until Erik couldn’t feel his legs either.

**Author's Note:**

> Um, things will get better...later. I'm in the middle of college exams and have lost my muse.
> 
> Comment with thoughts on where you would like to see this verse go.
> 
> Grammatical, spelling, and story errors embarrass me. Please let me know if you find any so I can fix them right away!
> 
> XOXO  
> ~ Linzanity


End file.
